Classic American Cheesecake

Total Time: 32 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 lemon, zest of, of finely grated
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups dry cookie crumbs, such as gingersnaps or 1 1/2 cups graham crackers
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• melted butter, for brushing pan

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• 2 brush a 9-inch springform pan generously with melted butter.
• 3 for crust: melt butter, stir in cookie crumbs and sugar.
• 4 press the mixture into the bottom of the pan, spreading evenly with the back of a spoon.
• 5 bake until lightly toasted- about 13-15 minutes.
• 6 remove from oven and cool.
• 7 for the cheesecake: in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on low speed until soft and smooth.
• 8 add sugar, vanilla and salt and continue beating until light and creamy- 3-4 minutes.
• 9 add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth and scraping down the sides after each addition.
• 10 stir in zest.
• 11 pour batter into springform pan and bake until done (center will be slightly jiggly)- 1-1 1/2 hours.
• 12 turn oven off and leave door slightly open for 1 hour.
• 13 transfer to refrigerator and chill overnight.
• 14 remove sides of springform and cake on pan base.